What precautions should be taken after a dive to ensure safety?

Hydration and avoiding flying immediately after a dive are critical precautions to ensure safety. After scuba diving, your body is often saturated with nitrogen due to increased pressure underwater. If a diver ascends too quickly or flies soon after diving, there is a risk of decompression sickness, also known as "the bends." Dehydration can exacerbate this risk because it reduces the body's ability to eliminate nitrogen. Therefore, divers should make sure to drink plenty of water and wait a recommended period—usually at least 24 hours—after diving before flying. This protocol helps to reduce the chance of nitrogen bubbles forming in the bloodstream and tissues, promoting safer recovery from the dive and minimizing health risks.